Which type of validity concerns generalizing findings across time, settings, or populations beyond the studied sample?

Which type of validity concerns generalizing findings across time, settings, or populations beyond the studied sample?

• A. Historical validity
• B. External validity
• C. Internal validity
• D. Population validity

Answer: (A)

External validity examines whether the findings can be generalized beyond the specific sample, across time, settings, and populations. It asks if results would hold in different circumstances, not just under the exact conditions of the study. Achieving external validity involves representative sampling, ecological or experimental realism, and replication of findings in diverse contexts. Population validity is a related notion focusing on generalization to the broader target group, while internal validity concerns causality within the study and historical validity is not a standard term for generalizability in most psychology texts. Therefore, the concept being tested is external validity.

External validity examines whether the findings can be generalized beyond the specific sample, across time, settings, and populations. It asks if results would hold in different circumstances, not just under the exact conditions of the study. Achieving external validity involves representative sampling, ecological or experimental realism, and replication of findings in diverse contexts. Population validity is a related notion focusing on generalization to the broader target group, while internal validity concerns causality within the study and historical validity is not a standard term for generalizability in most psychology texts. Therefore, the concept being tested is external validity.